These insane pages are the sketchbooks of Ben Finer. These pages have gotten thick from his pasting and painting. There are layers upon layers of drawings, stamping, collaged images, paper scraps, and much much more. You can look at these pages for hours, there’s so much going on. Most pages seem like a psychedelic nightmare with technicolor attacking hippos or angry cartoon characters. A couple are more quiet and peaceful, full of interesting detailed architecture or a polite bathroom. Either way the drawings always have a ton of details. Little tiny patterns cover over any one color surface giving it more dimension. Comic book parts are embellished with hypercolor designs. Ben went to RISD with me and came over for dinner so I could shoot these books which he said he thinks of less as “sketch” books and more as pieces themselves. He has just finished a Masters program at Parsons. See more of his work on his site here.

Inspiring! I have had an artist block for some time now and seeing these has bought back the fire Ive missed! Thank you! I would love to exhibit with you one day! I am now working on my own Ben Finer inspired “moemoea books” (dream books). I am also a teacher and would love to use you and your work as an artist model in my class. I hope this is ok? Look at it as a compliment perhaps? :) In NZ we say in my native language “Ataahua!” (beautiful!).
tawera